Hillary Clinton and the race card

Did she, or did she not, play the "race card?"

That's the question being hashed over in much of political Washington concerning comments Hillary Clinton made to USA Today in making her case for soldiering on in her bid to draw to an inside straight and overtake Barack Obama in the Democratic presidential race.

Here's the passage swirling the discussion:

" 'I have a much broader base to build a winning coalition on,' she said in an interview with USA Today. As evidence, Clinton cited an Associated Press article 'that found how Sen. Obama's support among working, hard-working Americans, white Americans, is weakening again, and how whites in both states (those voting in Tuesday's Indiana and North Carolina primaries) who had not completed college were supporting me.' "

"There's a pattern emerging here," she said.

Her defenders scoffed at the notion that she was sowing divisiveness, saying she was merely stating the obvious and that she resisted any mention of the almost monolithic support from blacks that has been central to Obama's successes.

Clinton herself, the article says later, "rejected any idea ...

... that her emphasis on white voters could be interpreted as racially divisive. 'These are the people you have to win if you're a Democrat in sufficient numbers to actually win the election. Everybody knows that.' ''

Detractors argued that she was taking an obvious step to casting herself as the "white" candidate.

Longtime Democratic operative Bob Shrum, who led John Kerry's unsuccessful 2004 presidential campaign, said that party leaders -- including convention superdelegates -- fear that Clinton may be adopting a strategy that unnecessarily fuels antagonisms within party ranks.

The result, he added, could be a political environment "in which Democrats lose the unlosable election."

-- Don Frederick

Comments

[robinia]

Whether or not she played the race card, it is very sad to end her journey like this. I mean it was a fierce battle as I've ever seen a campaign to be. May both candidates be congratulated for their patience and longevity during the battle.

Mrs. Clinton, if you weren't such a conniving, two-faced bitch, with a husband to match, perhaps people would have stuck by you! Goodbye-girl!

Mr. Obama, a hearty congratulations. However, if you don't watch it, your wife could be the black version of Hillary. Maybe you've been crowned as the better choice simply because people haven't gotten to know your wife yet. Welcome to the lion's den.

wow, can't wait for the battle for November.

Tootles!

[Tallahassee]

If the Dems lose this election in November, it's because they nominated Obama as our candidate. To call the Clintons and their supporters racists, only spurs our resolve to sit out this election if Obama is the nominee. You political pundits and Obama supporters are idiots.

[mona]

When was pointing out the obvious divisive? Obama is getting all the black vote by 80 - 90% margin and Hillary is getting more of the white vote than Obama. Hillary why don't you just call them all blue voters.....and we can all just be smurfs? For the Obama voters, smurfs is a cartoon back in the 80's. LOL Whatevers.....everyone I am sure especially the Obama camp and their media lovers will pull the race card, when really she has not stated something that everyone doesn't already know and recognize.

PRESIDENT HILLARY 08

[N.E. BodybutHillary]

Hey any of you republicans want a slightly used presidential candidate? she claims to have high miles, but she just doesn't get anywhere. She claims to be the answer to your economic woes, but she has greater economic woes than you. She claims to be able to keep you healthy and fit, but she suffers from sleep deprivation and delusions.
She admires the rules recognized by your party, but she has trouble abiding by rules in general. She is a nasty little scrapper, but she seems to enjoy biting the hand feeding her.
The fact is we just have no place for her, maybe you have a pasture or something she could retire to.

[Kate]

Hillary's true colors: apparently democratic voters really don't care about universal health care, nor about getting out of Iraq, nor about maintaining the Constitution. No, she feels the ONLY important thing is her color. This is pandering to one group of voters (the least educated and informed ones) and slighting another (hard working people of color) This is the final straw. Howard Dean, beware. The party may split over this, or it will lose a massive number of voters for many years to come.

[Larry]

Wow! Hmmmmmmm.

What can really be at the root of this destructive Clinton campaign?

Is she really trying to ruin it with whites for Obama in an effort to sabotage his campaign? If not Hillary, then McCain?

Today I read that a major Democratic fundraiser is threatening Nancy Pelosi with going over to McCain if Pelosi doesn't manage the rest of this campaign to Hillary's benefit.

Is this really about what is good for Israel?

Is there any other lobby group/interest that is so ruthless and uncompromising as AIPAC?

[Deanna from New Mexico]

It makes me very sad to think our country still is not ready to nominate and vote for a black man. I, for the first time, understand our forefather's attitude toward the proletariat. The un-educated just don't get it. The only possibility to change Washington is with Obama. He can't do it alone, he needs us, the American People.

[samantha]

Look, the racial voting divide did not become pronounced until the Clinton's "played the race card" the first time in South Carolina (that is, through former President Clinton). Also remember that Obama's rise began in Iowa, a very hegemonically white state.

[Christopher Xaphakdy]

As Sen. Clinton has articulated her case as being a stronger candidate, why hasn't she been able to prove the mathematical numbers as Sen. Obama has factually earned. I think what the voters are convincingly looking for are the objective factual numbers, not the subjective arguments.

Cheer Sen. Obama 08

[otto portmann]

people actually believe these people... that astounds me

[Mc Pain]

Her comments are no different than Mc Pain calling Obama a black radical...lol....What is funny to me is how everyone put so much emphasis on if Obama wins, he will lose because he can't get the white blue collar voters, nobody even mentioned how the blacks hate the Clintons now. It would be just as impossible for Hillary to win without the black votes...

When will the media hurry and break the story of the prostitute that was just murdered (not a suicide), and how she was going to incriminate Mc Cain as one of her clients...? Let's blow the lid off this thing....oh we're waiting for September..okay good timing

[Josh N.]

She's being attacked for the same reason rev. Wright was being attacked: SHE'S TELLING THE TRUTH.

Let's faceit, Obama's biggest problem is he has a problem connecting to stupid people and poor people. Sorry but "uneducated voter" is just a nice way of saying moron who cant think critically and has to work at a steelmill because he's too stupid to get a real job and blames all his problems on affirmative action and immigrants.

Obama, because of his race and bitter old people will have a problem in the general. Intelligent people will only get you so far. You have to get the votes of stupid people (poor whites) and airhead women (security moms & soccer moms)

Obama is facing an uphill battle. I support him but I'm also realistic. Hillary did nothing but speak the truth. I think they'll have a hard time without each other on the ticket.

[Rich]

Ever since Hillary said on 60 Minutes "not that I know" when asked if she thought Obama was a Muslim, I have wanted to vomit every time I see her. Women voters must realize that if Hillary were elected President she would poison the Presidency against women for a thousand years. She is a lying, conniving, politician of the old school who needs to do at least one honorable thing this campaign season: Quit.

[observer]

What a stupid article!

I'm no big fan of Mrs. Clinton, but when any candidate simply repeats what every commentator on TV is saying, how can she be racist and they're not? She is not attacking anyone's race, she's simply saying that any successful Democratic presidential candidate MUST will white working class votes. She happens to be right, as Senator Obama will find out in North Carolina in November...and many other states.

[KS2 Problema]

There's certainly nothing new here.

Clinton, her team, and particularly her husband, the former president, have been playing a racial triangulation strategy since they realized their "inevitability" had evaporated.

The only thing I find surprising is that it's candidate Clinton, herself, making the explicit racial exclusion strategy -- and that so far there has been no firestorm over her appositive juxtaposition: "hard-working Americans, white Americans."

The world-weary and jaded among us might still be surprised that Clinton's racist pandering would become so blatant and yet draw so little comment.

[Troy]

The Clintons have defecated on whatever goodwill they engendered among a good portion of the electorate who supported them in the previous decade.

How embarrassing to see her campaign repeatedly resort to racism and religious bigotry to pull more votes and delegates her way. Also, what a sore loser to drag this thing on for longer than what it needs to. Anyone with a superior understanding of American politics and the electoral process knows that Obama essentially wrapped up the nomination at the end of February.

No amount of spin can undo what further damage she's done to her already polarizing image. For the love of Christ, let it go Hillary.

[vote4thebest]

Why do people get accused 'racists' when they are speaking the truth? why is it that it is ok for 91% of the Blacks to vote for an AA and these Blacks are not called racists? If it is ok for the blacks, then it should also be ok for 91% of non-black to vote for the non-black candidate. Even his campaign's manager has used the term 'white vote' before, yet it is not ok for Clinton to use? Let’s play by the same rule and Obama and his supporters should stop the double talk.
Obama’s win in NC proves beyond any doubt that he is a racially-based candidate. He can’t win the general election with just the blacks and the young. It would be another ‘Tsongas’ election! Clinton’s win in Indiana, by a slim margin, also raises the big question why Obama lost a state that he is supposed to win!
The media continues to be anti-Clinton. Her win should be presented in the proper context of the quality of each of these candidates’ electability!

[Rob MacKay]

Of course Hillary is the "white" candidate and Obama is the "black" candidate. The question is who can cross those lines. Obama is doing a pretty good job of it. Hillary doesn't stand a chance. I used to really like Hillary. But now? For goodness sake my fellow Democrats, stick a fork in Hillary. She is done.

[Marilyn]

The Clintons have done more for the black community over the past years than anyone else. It is very obvious that Obama is where he is today because of the black voters (not a racist comment but a fact). In my opinion, the so-called race card was played by the Obama camp very early on - everytime Bill opened his mouth it was considered racist. In this way, the black population was able to justify dumping Hillary without seeming to support Obama simply because he is black. I am a lifelong Democrat who will not vote for Obama because of those behind the scenes tactics and, no, I won't vote for McCain either.

[Dean]

The reasons these comments are racist is because she very smoothly and implicitly states that African Americans aren't hard working!!

" 'Clinton cited an Associated Press article 'that found how Sen. Obama's support among working, hard-working Americans, white Americans, is weakening again, and how whites in both states (those voting in Tuesday's Indiana and North Carolina primaries) who had not completed college were supporting me.' "

SO AFRICAN AMERICANS AREN'T HARDWORKING???

[Philippa]

GObama! he prevailed despite the dirt flung at him over the past 2 mths.If Clinton could not put him away with all the negative press he got over the past 2 months,i don't know what else will.
Time for her to concede already!

[haybarn]

It's not that everyone is a racist. It's that we have had the label-based "factual" analysis drilled into our vocabulary day after day. Examples?:

- we are told over and over what % of the black vote one candidate gets, but never hear what % of the white vote another gets.
- the only blue collar workers ever mentioned are the white ones, as if black blue collar workers don't exist, aren't news or don't count.
- there is a presumption or implication that university-educated people are white, as are young university students.

The delivery of this selective vocabulary but mind-biasing data is not based on deep-seated hatred of any group, but it does feed the culture of how we think and talk as a nation. The media pushes this "news" into everyone's brain cells without even stopping to think about how it keeps "racism" alive.

[chet mccabe]

How much nastier can the campaign get. Only Hillary can stop it by doing the RIGHT thing now and gracefully exit. She has created a mistrust, cheap image which is appropriate for she and Bill, who has dragged her down to this level. Let's get on with rebuilding ther Democrat profile

[J Marshall]

yes, obama is getting the black vote, but the black vote alone would not nearly be enough for obama to win all of the primaries that he has one. do the math

[chris]

It's really sad that a Wellsley and Yale graduate who has worked so much for positive causes in this country wants to be President so bad that she would pander to the lowest character trits in voters and somehow wear it as a badge of honor that her support comes from uneducated, poor white thrash.

[Arthur Oates]

Funny how Hillary will say or do anything as she is not used to losing. Her arrogance and assuming the nomination was hers alone led to her downfall.

Wake up people. Obama has more delegates and more votes PERIOD. You can't deny facts.

[El rey]

Blacks, blue collars, white collars, working, hard working,
not completed college working (ignorants, illitrates, idiots??) Oh, pour America, we are still racist.

[Anne]

Tallahassee, I see you were raised to think you are better than others much like Hillary, calling Obama's supporters idiots is exactly why Hillary will never see the White House again. You people think you are entitled to the White House. This is not a monarchy. We elect our Presidents and the last time I checked, Hillary is behind in every mathematical scenario - if she is so great, why can't she beat the bi-racial man? Tell me that? Why can't she run a campaign? Why did she have to loan her campaign 11.425 million dollars?

Seems you are backing the losing horse, or metaphorically, as in the Kentucky Derby.... Eight Belles came in second and had to be put down.

[Sunny Florida]

Give me a break. The only reason "we Democrats" lose the unloseable election is because we may nominate an inexperienced, elitist, dare-I-say-racist neophyte politician whose supporters play the race card themselves whenever someone states the facts, disagrees or just dislikes their candidate. How could we NOT like someone who claims to be a unifier, then his campaign pulls some pretty nasty voting day aggressiveness in the caucus states, or when he sits for years listening to the rants of a loonybin, buys land from a known corrupt political heavyweight, then disparages his opponent in ads and in speeches (do we mention the finger at a speech, the song about "the bitch"), claiming "nondivisive-politics-am-I", and turns aghast when her supporters won't vote for him in November and "fall in line" like good little sheep? Puh-lease. I wouldn't vote for this guy for President of my Homeowner's Association, never mind for the President of the US. Never. Hillary needs to run as an Independent and we can take the 14+ million votes to her, and be counted.

[Jody Dodd]

Hillary is talking about who voted for her. But, need we remind her this is the DEMOCRATIC nomination.. not the general election... Is she suggesting that these white DEMOCRATS will not support Obama? That indeed would be racist.. as racist as suggesting that the 90% of African Americans who voted for Obama would not vote for her because she is "white." She cannot have it both ways. Obama has pulled more numbers and delegates... She just needs to get over it and bow out gracefully and then urge her supporters to vote for the Democratic candidate, Barack Obama.

[john]

easy everybody. Hillary's comments are not particularly helpful to her, or the party, but they should not necessarily be viewed through the lens of race.

... the simple fact is Hillary is still running a campaign to win even though she cannot win.

... reality will sink in: money will dry up, super delegates will jump ship (hopefully not saying anything stupid about HRC), the media will focus more and more on the looming general election between Obama and McCain, Hillary will fade away.

Ultimately Hillary will have the say in how she goes out, a lonely (but hopefully dignified) one woman show playing to shrinking audiences a la Mike Huckabee. Or she could go out in the next few days with her head high.

In the end, Hillary deserves our respect, admiration, and thanks for helping to energize the party.

So thank you Hillary, we'll be counting on you to work for Obama in the general.

Obama 08.

[D. House]

No more than Obama is playing the race card. That knife cuts both ways.

[Anne]

Tallahassee, I see you were raised to think you are better than others much like Hillary, calling Obama's supporters idiots is exactly why Hillary will never see the White House again. You people think you are entitled to the White House. This is not a monarchy. We elect our Presidents and the last time I checked, Hillary is behind in every mathematical scenario - if she is so great, why can't she beat the bi-racial man? Tell me that? Why can't she run a campaign? Why did she have to loan her campaign 11.425 million dollars?

Seems you are backing the losing horse, or metaphorically, as in the Kentucky Derby.... Eight Belles came in second and had to be put down.

[Gaias Child]

Well I am a hard-working "white" American and I voted for Obama in my primary. I think Senator Clinton is just completely cunning and tactical to such an extent that she cannot see the big picture. The big picture is that she is the one doing harm to herself. She is the one who has alienated so many people who, like me, would have been her natural constiuency. She has done this by using the "old politics" of polarizing divisive below-belt assaults intended to show that she's tough!!! Well, sure, she's tough but like a playground bully tough and not like a true strength of authenticity, of inner wisdom. The fact that this ploy of divisive manipulation has a racial component doesn't really make it any different than all her other ploys this campaign. She's really vetting the guy to pieces. He seems to be doing okay.

[Tim]

AS A Black man I would NOT votefor HIllary or any white lying politician who keeps playing us, HOW YOU LIKE THAT?

[Former Clinton Fan]

I'm sorry. How is this not the race card? She has basically said that he can't win white votes, while in addition to being untrue, serves no purpose considering that he has won more states than her. I don't know if anyone has checked lately, but Iowa, the Dakotas, Colorado, Washington, Wisconsin and Virginia are states that are not often described as "black" states. Secondly, isn't it ironic that she first said that his race was an advantage through her surrogate, and now suddenly his race is a liability. While it is uncontravertible that many Americans will not vote for someone who doesn't look like them, that is fortunately the exception to the rule. For those saying that Obama is playing the race card, I challenge you to find one instance where he has done what she has done this whole election with respect to her gender- told people to vote for him because he could be the first black president. She is, quite simply, a despicable person who demeans the intelligence and goodness of most Americans. For all Hillary supporters, I implore you to search your conscience. Time and time again she talks about differences based on color, gender, etc., while he talks about commonalities. Please help this country move forward.

-A former Clinton fan

[Anonymous White Man]

Yes, white Americans are supporting Hillary but if you dig deeper into this statistic you find that it is low educated whites that support Hillary while Obama is getting the support of younger and more educated whites - like myself and all my friends - many of whom voted republican in the last election. My take is that many of the lower educated whites have some racial biases or are unable to see through the BS of Hillary - or perhaps a little of both.

[DEAN]

Any Democrat that "sits out" this election just because their candidate doesn't get the nomination is IGNORANT!! Regardless of what candidate you are for!

Also, those citing the polls that show only 45% of Hillary supporters would support Obama I have 2 words for you:
COGNITIVE DISSONANCE!!!

[3xAmazing]

Tallahassee, comments like yours just make me sad. Sit out an election?? Really?? All because your candidate will likely not receive the democratic nomination?? After all you've seen, you're willing to help hand the Republicans another 4 years because of that??

Its like watching a child throw a temper tantrum: "If you guys don't want to play by my rules, then I'll just take my ball and go home!"

Arn't there bigger things to worry about: the economy, Iraq, health care, education, the environment, etc etc etc. But all i hear from Hillary supporters is this same nonesense. That's the divisiveness right there.

Hil is just as stubborn as these people are. Its obvious she can't win, but she'll continue to sit in the race and promote these sorts of sentiments to the detriment of the Democratic Party and this country.

If the Dem's lose the election in November it'll be largely because of Hillary Clinton and close minded people like Tallahassee who are too shortsighted and stubborn to try and do what's right.

To Clinton supporters who WILL be voting this November: I, your children, and your country thank you.

[kristi]

I agree with many that Hillary is stating the obvious, which does not mean she is playing the race card.

More interestingly, when I have heard pundits and Obama supporters say he is more electable, I have yet to hear people say he is playing the gender card. Why is that?

Either way, Hillary or Obama, I look forward to the Democratic party pulling together and getting back in the White House.

[Sixtees]

Gosh, I liked Hillary - she was a nice sincere effervescent young woman before her fragile veneer cracked and her essential venal core leaked out. Too bad, she had this old coot fooled. I still bet that she will leave the race with grace, Pollyanna that I am. I wanted Richardson or Dodd. I am more comfortable with older experienced men but I am willing to give youth another chance. Our current president was young and unfortunately, did not learn on the job. He acted like a puppet on a string and when left to his own devices, was petulant and stubborn. Now can Obama impress my peer group sufficiently so they won't seek the familiar territory of experienced and McCain. Obama's window of opportunity will be short, the hill steep. All is unknown in May.

[J Labrusso]

In their private moments Hillary and Bill probably entertain themselves by seeing who can tell the biggest lie..."I never had sexual relations with that woman, Monica Lewinsky! Oh yeah, "Sinbad and I were under a barrage of sniper fire in Bosnia." What a pair of liars, I mean leaders.

[kjm]

Not sure if she played the race card but she is playing the same old card; if "they" didn't vote for her, then "they" are not important because ...(insert various reason or insert "only if..."). I don't think it maters who "they" are ("they" referring to an individual , a group or a State).

[elmerg]

So, Tallahassee, you are willing to give John McBush the presidency, to prolong the occupation of Iraq, to pick more Alito's to serve on the Supreme Court, to further shred the Bill of Rights and keep crooked Republicans in charge all because Rodham lost the primary?

[zadamaja]

HIlary is white, she cant get black votes boohoo.....
Obama cant get midwestern white votes he will never get them they are racist prick down there.

Hilary if black folks aint voting for you dont meant they are racisit they just trying to get a first black preseident.

I wish tupacs dream will come true and we will have a black president.

All black people who vote of hilary are traitors.

[lisa]

Iowa, Alaska, Colorado, Maine, Nebraska, N. Dakota, Idaho, etc, etc. all states with fewer than 5% Black population-- how the media and the Clintons love to spin things.

[Piter]

Far too many comments from Hillary supporters crying about how they will either sit it out or vote McCain because the Golden Girl didn't get the nomination.

Hey, sorry guys, that's what happens if you can't even run an effective campaign. What makes you all think she's qualified to run the country then?

If you can't properly staff your campaign, if you can't find a use for your superstar politico husband, if you can't raise money, if you can't account for threats to your cause on the horizon, if you can't "find your own voice" until 15 months into it, then you will not win. She can't win over the majority of the Dems, yet her argument is that only she can somehow take on McCain the GOP? Love that logic Hillz!

[Jim]

Hillary Clinton suggested Wednesday that "White Americans" are increasingly turning away from Barack Obama’s candidacy. Clinton cited an Associated Press poll "that found how Senator Obama's support among working, hard-working Americans, white Americans, is weakening again.
Exit polls from Tuesday's primaries in Indiana and North Carolina show Clinton won about 60 percent of the white vote in both states. That percentage is down from the Ohio primary on March 4, in which Clinton won upwards of 65 percent of the white vote. Meanwhile, Clinton garnered 63 percent of the white vote in Pennsylvania on April 22.
"There's a pattern emerging here," she said.
******
Yes, Senator Clinton, there is a pattern emerging. You and your team are spinning falsehoods. When did 60% become greater than 65% ???

A more accurate interpretation of the data (taken from a USA Today interview) would suggest that the white vote is actually trickling away from Senator Clinton over the past few weeks.
It should also be mentioned that ANY Democratic candidate MUST forge a coalition MUCH broader and more inclusive than working-class whites. In the long run, I believe Senator Obama is more likely to develop a broad coalition.

One more thing, Senator Clinton. Please stop referring to working class whites as “hard-working Americans”. There are many, many, many hard-working blacks, latinos, Asians, teachers, administrators, physicians,
computer programmers, and senators who might resent the suggestion that they are not “hard-working Americans”.

[susan]

HRC is clearly the candidate most qualified for both the general election and hence the presidency. BO is still very much an unknown and this really worries me, if in the event that he beats McCain in November. In fact it is very scary ... LIke Bush before him, he will be bulldozed or "led" by Washington power groups and hence steeer our nation down precarious paths. He is so liberal that we might even wind up being more socialistic than Russia or China ... Ouch... I will definitely be voting for McCain ...

[Steven]

Blue collar whites, young people and blacks are all crucial to a Democratic victory in November. Fact remains that Obama is drawing more voters, more dollar contributions and simply more excitement than Clinton. His campaign is positioned best to defeat McCain. It will be easier to convince the minority of Democrats who supported Clinton to vote for Obama than it will be to convince the majority who supported Obama to vote for Clinton. Clinton won't win if young people and blacks stay home in November. It's that simple. She would serve herself and her party better if she withdrew from the nomination now and dedicated herself to getting her supporters to vote for Obama, rather than continuing on a futile quest and poisoning the different factions of the Democratic party against each other. BTW, I support Edwards. I'll vote for Obama in November, but I won't vote for Clinton. America is not Rome and I am simply tired of the Clinton and Bush families. Both of them have helped to run this country into the ground. I want a complete break from these career politicians on both sides of the aisle.

[Mellow_Nomah]

While Hilary may have pointed out a truth -- albeit in terribly maladroit fashion -- I find the notion that Senator Obama is unelectable insulting of my intelligence. His totals in the popular vote, the number of contests won, and, most tellingly, in his broad fund raising efforts all point to a candidate who energizes the electorate and draws voters to him in droves. His intellect and knockout speaking abilities are going to completely overwhelm Sen. McCain's rather dry presentation style, and I don't think McC can win many policy debates: the orthodox Right solutions have been tried in this administration and found wanting.

I think Senator Obama is headed for a huge mandate from the electorate, and if Hillary keeps this up, she's going to turn herself into a pariah in the party. That would be a shame: she's been a dinkum senator for New York so far. The Clintonian love of scorched earth is not serving the party well and should be abandoned. It's time for her to fold.

Just think: by this time next year, Mr. Bush and his cohort will likely be well on the way to being indicted on a wide variety of war crimes, obstruction, and miscellaneous other charges. We'll get out of this mess yet. God bless America!

[Bob]

Geraldine was right, of course.

[Richard P. McDonough]

"Her supporters scoffed..."
Typical.
She has been doing this race baiting all along. She is more like Rove than anybody in the party since Tail Gunner Joe McCarthy.

[Donna from SC]

Of course she's playing the race card, Hillary will play any card to win, which is why I (a white woman over 40 in the South) would never vote for her to be in any high position of government, let alone as President. I'd never vote for her to be VP either.

In the past, I've only voted Republican, but for the first time, if Obama is the Democratic nominee for President in the fall, then I'll vote for him over McCain. But if Hillary won the nomination then I'd have to vote for McCain, even though I don't like him, because he is the lesser of two evils between him and Hillary.

Hillary only cares about Hillary and would not do what was the best for America if she was President.

[jrldev]

Why are surprise about the Clintons? Both of them have manipulated the race issue since the 90's.
Now Hillary brings back memories of Adolf Hitler.
When all his commanders kept telling him that the war was lost his attitude was that if he goes down he will take Germany down with him.
That is what she is doing to the Democratic Party
The race card play is her last straw and the two idiots we have as Senators are not much different in gpong along with her.

[lisa]

The media is bought and sold by the Clintons-- could they be any softer on her?
DID she play the race card? Doesn't she always... after the gender card and poor victim card doesn't work.

Sick of her divisiveness-- she plays to the WORST in the American people-- and the racists people who gobble this junk up will be left behind in this country.

[Joe Martinec]

After having voted for (twice) and defended Bill Clinton (endlessly), I would prefer to believe that they are not rascists, but, if not, it is abundantly clear that they are clueless. They have worked tirelessly to remind Democratic voters that Obama is (merely) a black candidate. They have deepened the cleavage between black Democrats and Reagan Democrats at every opportunity. When anyone notes this strategic Clinton ploy, they have decried the playing of the race card by, go figure, anyone who notices what they are doing. Now Hillary tells the super-delegates, "let me please exploit this divisive issue for three more weeks. If I have not succeeded in permanently damaging the Democratic Party by then, I will give my unqualified (truly) support to Obama. Trust me." The super-delegates will clearly not be very "super" if they allow her to do this. We don't need spineless super-delegates.

[Judy]

Of course Hillary and Bill have been playing the race card ever since South Carolina--when they realized just how much they had underestimated his campaign. They probably thought that a black candidate didn't stand a chance of competing against the mighty Hillary; after all, the nomination was hers for the taking! Now she has let the American people see her true character--lying, conniving, two-faced, unprincipled, tenacious, win-at-any-cost, say-anything-to-please-the-dumb-masses. It took a really close race to bring those ugly traits out, but they are there for all to see. The gas tax was the last insult to our intelligence. Hillary, please just fade away quietly.

[Donnie]

If you want to see Senators race card. Listen to what she said in her speech In Charleston WV thursday morning. “I’m winning Catholic voters and Hispanic voters and blue collar workers and seniors, the kind of people that Sen McCain will be fighting for in the general election,” she said. “My campaign is winning swing states. Pennsylvania, Ohio, Arkansas, New Hampshire, New Jersey, New Mexico, and yes, Michigan and Florida.”
In translation (white voters) and here in West Virginia race will probably br the deciding factor, she will probably win here ( my home) in wv. I personally think that race should not be an issue, but there is a lot of racism here. Maybe thats because there is only 5% of the population is black. So listen, and you will probably see the race card appear more and mor before the wv election.

[Jerry Tsai]

Impossible mathematically to win the nomination... like Huckabee.

Funding campaign using huge personal wealth... like Romney.

Pushes idiotic gas tax holiday... like McCain.

Staffs her organization, selecting people not on their competence, but for their loyalty... like Bush.

Touts that she is the candidate of "white people" only... much like Republicans do.

There's a pattern emerging here,

Clinton should have sought the Republican nomination. The majority of Democrats have chosen the only true Democrat in the Democratic race. Now that the party's over, she can now switch parties.

[alice]

Enough is enough. yes as one person said Hill is a 2 faced B- but obama is a raciest. He won only because he is black. and as a black person that sadens me that our people would vote on the color of his skin instead of what he stands for. we don't know what he stands for because he hsa been so busy saying he wants change no one ever asked "WHAT KIND OF CHANGE" not all change is good. when are people on both sides going torelize that the color of a persons skin does not make the person. My self I will for the first time not vote for a dem. why because they both make em ashamed. and more so I am ashamed of my brothers and sisters out ther that think that a person is right just because of the color of his skin, we all know that that is not true. I am also ashamed of the reps. because they are afraid to say that he won because of his color. Well I for one don't need a picture drawn out. Obama got over 90% of the black vote NO white person ever came that close. The sad part id no one knows what his plans in office are. what are your "changes"? Please people on both sides if you ever want racism to stop, quit pointing it out.

[Art]

The most important job of the superdelegates is to put the strongest candidate up for the final race. I hope they wake up out of Obama-mania (which has practically become a cult) and realize that OBAMA IS NOT ELECTABLE!! The guy has accomplished absolutely nothing other than giving speeches; as to his character, he demonstrated that he is spineless through his behavior with Wright; he has never faced a tough situation in adult life before the campaign; he proved himself a pansy in the Illinois legislature. McCain would be better at handling foreign crises than Obama, although I hate to think how badly he (McCain) will damage the federal courts.

Looks like the democrats will lose the white house again because of their mental fog.

[Judy]

Shame on you, Mrs. Clinton!

It's unfortunate that Hillary cannot back out graciously. She is showing desperation. I suppose, the only thing that she feels she has left, may be to play the 'race card.' However, she HAS been implying a racial division of voters for the past few weeks. She's just been describing it in terms of a certain class of 'workers'. Her statements and actions in her campaign are and have been offensive.

Now that her hunger for power has taken her to a new low, it's difficult to have even one iota of respect left for her. How sad and unfortunate that Hillary must stoop to the lowest possible level.

All races, in a majority of our USA population, of all skin shades; white, black, and brown; have clearly cast the majority of votes for Obama. He IS bringing the country together. Mrs. Clinton statements imply a racial division. How shameful!

Obama is clearly ahead in the popular vote and in the number of delegates. Hillary is in denial. She just cannot accept that the country does not want her in the White House. I suspect that she'll not give up even after Obama is declared the nominee at the Democrat convention.

Judy

[Az]

Calling Obama supporters idiots is a bit silly. Considering how popular he is, that is an awful lot of people... Also, yes, I am sure people know what smurfs are. Just because a few college students support him does not mean we are all young, and naive.

[CT Yankee]

Hillary Clinton has spent the last two months claiming that Obama is "unelectable". Why has no one ever asked her to explain what she means by that comment?

The person who is very close to getting the Dem nomination, ie., beating Hillary in the popular vote as well as everything else - she calls "unelectable".

But people ARE actually helping to elect Obama - he does have much more of the popular vote than she does. So what does Clinton mean?

The answer she made pretty clear today is this: she does not think that people in this country will vote for a man whose skin color is a little darker than hers.

That is called racism and she is a bigot. Sadly, I would not be surprised if she has a Michael Richards meltdown when it finally sinks in that she lost.

[Jim]

It is about time .Most of BO supporters are Black and they will tell you they vote that way because he is black. But if a white person says they are voting for Hillary because she is white . it is race baiting, race card, or plan racist.
There is a 100lb Gorrila in the room during this whole election and no one is willing to acknowledge it because of the fear of offending anyone.
It's about time we call a spade a spade

[Rashaad Abdur-Rahman]

she is not playing the "race card"! That's just her "Arkansas" showing.

[Please ! ! !]

Hillary Clinton might pause and remember that "white" people are not the only ones on this planet. Other ethnicities also have rights and is smart enough to exercise these rights in these 2008. This was a very hard fought contest and she should end it with dignity and pride. We are all part of these United States of America (and in those words I do not see, Black, African America, White, Hispanic, etc.)... I believe she deliberately played the race card to remind everyone, especial "white people" that Obama is Black and she is White, as if we did not know this already. She should get over herself... She lost, move on....

[carmen]

Obama supporters are stupid because 1. they don't understand that Obama is not as much of a political insider as Clinton, and therefore less likely to uphold the status quo. 2. Clinton too is a very good attorney 3. They are gay

[Brett]

Let's see... yes, he's half black so poor, dumb white folks don't particularly like him. But... Hillary is disliked (although I would typically choose a stronger version of the word) so strongly by so many audiences I just can't see how folks think she's electable. It was on (I seem to remember) a Time cover: Hillary: Love her or Hate her. That pretty much sums it up and unfortunately the Hates overwhelm the Loves by more than a small margin. I personally don't know what she stands for and she's politically motivated enough to completely overlook the fact her president husband was getting hummers from a 20 year old 300 feet away from her. That's not love, that's political motivation. Ewww...

[Minneapolis]

Hillary's line about "working, hardworking Americans, white Americans" is spectacularly offensive. This is either a monumental gaffe on her part or a nasty race-baiting ploy. Either way, she has some apologizing to do.

Obama won a big swath of Midwestern and Mountain states, some of which have a very small Black population (like 1.04% for North Dakota or 4.4% for Minnesota). He won these states by transcending race, not pandering to it.

[rarelyhome]

the democrats having been in the spot light with really no press for republicans for the past several months. Do you think for one moment the jessie jacksons and the al sharptons arent going to scream bloody murder when in fact there is no way kn the final role call for obama to win.

the democrats lost this election by whom they selected to represent them, not on the issues. if it were a matter of issues only they would win hands down

[Hilarysgirl]

HELOOOOO 9/10 blacks vote Obama.

WAKE UP HOUSTON

HOUSTON WE HAVE A PROBLEM.

[BJ]

Is the media tryng to put words in her mouth again? She was just quoting what you, the media have been reporting!

She's right, she does have a broader spectrum of voters! Obama has blacks/elitists/young college kids! That's pretty narrow.

NO, we will NOT ACCEPT an Obama/Clinton ticket!

Hillary or McCain '08

[huxley]

Senator Clinton is not racist ....She looks down on everyone.
I dont know if it'sbecause Im not american but she is obviously in-sincere to me. Lets face it she only stuck with Bill to keep her own political ambitions alive.

[Ingmar Northcott]

If we are in the intellectually compromised position, or "idiots" as you say, Tallahassee, then doesn't it behoove you, who is presumably not an idiot, not to behave like a jerk and belligerently name call, but, rather, calmly point out why we are wrong-headed in our choice of candidate, and this for the sake of our benefit? For who wishes to remain an idiot, if there is a smarter and wiser path to be taken that we might learn from our fellow man? For without such a teaching, you actually appear perhaps to everyone that doesn't agree with you to be a rather large idiot yourself, which is what I tend to think of Hillary supporters. Actually, I think of them as the ignorant wing of the Democratic party, and the fearful among Republicans, who believe that McCain has a much better chance against Clinton than he does against Obama.

[iva]

it's a shame that Hillary thinks that all white Americans are fundamentally racist. She really doesn't think much of anybody with or without a college education. She's dismissive about people with college educations because they don't vote for her. She's a deceptive panderer to the non-college educated, because she tells them what they want to hear, and tries to frighten them.

[Chuck C]

I like Tallahassee's comment. "...Obama supporters are idiots." I wondered how someone could make that statement. All suppositions on what each candidate will actually accomplish is guesswork - except for McCain, of course, who will keep the troops in Iraq, with all the death, destruction, and economic damage that accompanies it.

I lean toward Obama, rather than Clinton, because I THINK that he really will pull our troops ASAP, he really will try to get a universal healthcare plan passed, and he really will establish diplomatic ties with our "enemies", bringing peace to more regions, and he really will try to do the best for the PEOPLE of the country instead of for the CORPORATIONS of the country.

Whereas, I THINK Clinton owes too many corporations and so will not be able to establish universal healthcare, and will delay bringing back the troops (because of the huge defense contracts). Again, this is my guess.

So, why am I an idiot, according to Tallahassee? I realize that what he means to say is, "You are an idiot if you think a black man can actually get elected President of the U.S., therefore, if you support Obama, McCain will end up elected." It may be true that many will not vote for him because he is black and because McCain will spread vile rumors just like they did against McCain in 1999, but I'm still voting for the person I think will be the best president. As this is my home, I'd like to help fix this country, but if Americans again prove to be so stupid as to vote for a continuation of the Bush corruption, I may consider a move to a smarter country.

Oh, and this talk about Clinton playing the race card is just garbage. Telling the truth, even if it involves race, is not racist. Saying that Clinton has the majority of white voters and is therefore more electable is not racist, its just true (well, the first part anyway). Saying that whites do better in school than blacks is not racist, its true. Saying that blacks are generally better at sports than whites is not racist, it's true. Oh, and once we can say the truth without being labelled "racist", we can work on solutions such as, How do we keep blacks in school and get them to do better so they have better futures? Saying that blacks as a group are too stupid to stay in school and should just concentrate on basketball is untrue and a racist remark. See the difference?

[Alma Ludivina]

Senator Clinton is drooling to ruin the reputation of the next states to make it look like "racist states" and then to say look "I am very electable against McCain"

White people is people with good jugdement, intelligent, objective, they have represented the world well because of their values, Hillary Clinton do not represent a regular white american. At this point white americans feel shame with her behavior.

Mrs Clinton has no vision and lacks capability to discern her own situation.

There is lots of odds against senator McCain anyone can beat senator Mcain, She is the one who is like a malignant cancer who wants to spread to any price, she is deviding the whole country by resourfacing old wounds from the 1800's in the 21 century. She lack empahty, lacks emotions, She does not realize that when she talks about "black vote" not counting, what about the rest of minorities, the "brown vote" "the yellow vote".

She like a trojan horse wants to destroy instead of build or unite.

She is acting with a narcissistic sense of entitlement, lack of direction, erratic poor judgement, out of anger and frustration. As if she was the puppet of a master mind, treating the nation as objets, or material goods!!!???!!!

[larrysteve]

Racism 101, folks -- when a white candidate is running
against a black candidate it is insensitive of them to point
out, especially publicly , that they are getting most of the white vote, NOT their black opponent. It's even worse if they offer such a thing as an argument that they are the better candidate, as Hillary is doing in this case. And to say it when the election is virtually over and the white candidate is running well behind the black candidate - wow.

This woman is not exactly the most tactful candidate we've ever seen, to put it mildly.

The undecided super delegates want to give her some space out of respect, but if she keeps opening her trap
they're gonna have to end this thing -- and soon.

[Ingmar Northcott]

The only worthy goal of any politician (even above and beyond protecting their lives) is the betterment of the souls of his constituents, to help them to become better people. This goal has to be put above all else because becoming better people is the only thing that really matters to us - to mankind. Not all the money in the world, all the sex, all the power and all the other trivialities that we crave can top this most important of purposes. Thus, if Hillary Clinton is noticing a type of ignorance in her supporters, and is trying to use that racist ignorance to get herself elected due to personal ambition, and an obsession with her public image and legacy, rather than doing everything she can to get her loyal public to become better, and thus purge their souls of their blind, unreasoning, racist ignorance, then she is the basest and most shameful of politicians, who seeks to politically capitalize on the worst traits in her supporters instead of admonishing them for their depraved condition.

[Steve]

Here's how I see it. Obama plays the race card. Every day, and has from day one. Kerry from the beginning said Obama was a good candidate because he's Black. Obama used the race card and the threat of being accused of racism to keep the press from vetting him, and the angle of this articl is based on a race card, i.e, your fine saying Hillary is using the race card but the LA Times would think twice before saying Obama uses the race card.

Obama goes to a Segregated church. It appears that's OK for Obama but if Hillary did it it would be a problem. Obama writes racist books, OK for him, not OK if Hillary did it. Obama hangs out with Black Supremecists, OK for Obama not OK for Hillary. Democrats have become a party dominated by non-whites and Democrat brass are fine that Obama lies all the time, and is the least experienced man to run for President in modern tiomes, because Obama is Black. Ok, that's obvious.

So Hillary is stating the obvious, in a General Election, people who don't care what color Obama is, such as myself don't like him as a candidate. People such as myself think he says one thing and does another. people such as myself who have seen him slander Bill Clinton as a racist just to get the Black vote, and smear Hillary as a liar, when he lies more than any candidate, think he's not a good candidate. I don't care if he's Black, or white or purple, I have no faith in his judgment. I've never voted for a Republican, but I will not vote for Obama just because he's a Democrat. he threatened Nuclear war with pakistan, he's a vicious underhanded amatuer and could be worse than Bush. He's owned by wall Street, Banks and Energy companies and lies about it. He destroyed the best chance the USA had for real change which was Hillary, and I don't trust him as far as I can throw him, so why would I vote for hi, I won't. It's not going to happen, Obama is a man I feel destroyed Democrats because he made everything about race, all the while denying he does that. he's the kind of double-talk and will never be president. So as far as I'm concerned Obama and his personal aspirations and his race baiting and con artist routines of saying one thing and doing another is a Negative, racist con.

[All for one]

Obama will win this September because he doesn't play dirty politics and cry wolf like Obama does. She's faker then my cabbage patch kid doll. It's unbelievable to me how she can say some of the things she says and put a smile on her face that is so plastic Ia want to tear it like plastic wrap. I'm relieved I can say with confidence that she won't be on my ballot this November. Obama all the way.

[Marks]

mona,

I hope you vote for McCain, because its obvious you celebrate bias and suspicion, its okay to you for Hillary to announce it.

90% of blacks supported Clintons through Bill's two terms. Now its wrong for them to choose a candidate of their own free will and consideration.

When women say its "time for a woman" giving Hillary the gender vote. Some women might have lost jobs in manufacturing because of NAFTA and gained little economically since Clintons left office where they became 100 Millionaires in a very short time.

Obama has gained white voters nationally. Hillary's campaign claimed Hispanics wouldn't vote for black candidate. Playing that race card for a long time.

Voters of all ethnic backgrounds have put Obama far ahead of Hillary, she can't win the nomination.

[Charllie Clark]

A black man and a woman - a first in either case for America and both as bad as each other. If ever a candidate race was for personal glory, it's this one. The easy win, anyone but George? We over here in the UK remember the last Democrat president, what an honest, truthful man he was. Why not unearth Jimmy Carter, you can't do any worse!

[jim boshay]

Go ahead and sit out, you obviously haven't been listening or paying any attention so far...

[nazcalito]

It's the 21st century, folks. Get over this "race" thing. People are people. They come in all different sizes and shades, good and bad. Stop putting people in boxes.

[Martin]

It's unfair to say that Hillary is trying somehow to cast herself as the White candidate when it's clear that her strategy has been to focus on the Uneducated Moron vote and she is glad to find any Uneducated Moron who will vote for her. So give her credit where it's due, she's not seeking only white votes she's seeking to find people dumb enough not to see through her continual lying.

[Alfred]

It seems to me that Hillary is a sore loser, and I concur 100% with Robinia above when she wrote: Hillary is "a conniving, two-faced bitch", playing old dirty politics.

America has had enough of Hillary and her OLD style dirty politics, good riddens to both.

P.S. As far as a Obama/Hillary dream ticket, don't fool yourself, it won't work - Hillary needs to put herself out to pasture - she's an old glue horse!

[Sylvia]

I was for Hillary in the beginning. Then over time she became a child. Running out of things to say on how she could orchestrate growth for the country. Now, when she speaks, "I" and "me" are the predominant words in her text. She wants to be president, she talks about how much she wants to be president, almost as if it were a pageant of some sort. I have yet to hear Obama say anything bad about her, yet her campaign is based on downing him. He is a gentleman, with more class in his finger than Hillary possesses in her entire eating-disorder-governed body. She has become the C word, and I don't mean Clinton.

[elizabeth bauersox]

It seems to me that the media are the ones who are now playing the race card in an effort to force Clinton out. Her backers are behind her because we've wanted her to be President long before Obama declared.

[Inaru]

If it were a fact, it definitely would not be racist, but it is not a fact that Obama does not get white voters of every class in states where Clinton isn't campaigning by insinuating he might be a Muslim, that he isn't fit to lead, that he can't win. Where Obama campaigns on his own merits, where it's only his record and character against what they already know of Clinton who didn't think they were important enough to campaign there in the first place - he beats Clinton by huge margins.

Those are the margins she needs and won't get in the remaining states. She's dust, just trying to get little old ladies to pay her debt to Mark Penn for screwing up her coronation.

[shirl]

Hillary is playing her final card, the nuclear card, and that is that she is white and obama is black. ANYONE looking at how Americans voted will KNOW that Obama did not get where he is on black votes alone. Asian Americans like myself (and folks in Hawaii), white like my neighbors and colleagues, etc, we are all supporting Obama because we believe in our country and its ideals, pledging allegience to the flag with equality FOR ALL. Hillary's nuclear white racism card will only bring a long nuclear winter to the party and our beloved nation.

[Tim Howe]

Itis very depressing to read reporting like this that quotes an active and longtime opponent of the Clintons, Shrum, and the reporter54 doesnt even mention that he has a motivation to hurt Hillary.

I am a lifelong Democrat and verteran of DC politics and have been staff on 34 Presidential campaigns. These charges of the Clintons playing the "race card" are coming from people I know - aand they KMOW them to be 100% untrue and 100% impossible to defend against in the media. (Ask Bob Kerrey and Andrew Cuomo - 2 fine men who were falsely accused and slandered with the "racist" brush to start this planned Axelrod/Gibbs/Obama race baiting charge-a-thon off)

The only thing worse than the political hacks and fakes in DC pushing this bogus script are the political reporters who pimp it out for them.

Im an old Dem. Actually, I went to Columbia with Obama...I have voted Dem in every election in my life...from Prez to Sherriff - straight Dem...but after this campaign....and these false charges - which actually were the only reason Obamas campaign was able to survive - I cannot and will not vote Dem if he is the nominee. Thats a blood oath sure thing. The man is not FIT to be President, so I will not have any part of it.

[mimi]

All I have to say is that the media has done nothing but put down Hillary Clinton every single day. It's a disgrace how she has been treated.

Not only that, the Obama people want to end the race before people have had a right to cast their vote-It amazes me. Isn't that the reason we are in Iraq fighting a war to give people over there a chance to cast their vote- But that's not OK here- We wont allow Florida or Michigan the chance to be heard.

[Helen]

HELLO ---She is the white canidate and he is the black canidate.Why are people trying to make something out of nothing. Each will get votes because of their race from their race. That is just the way it is. I hope everyone can rise above this "school yard" name calling and get on with making our country strong and productive once again no matter who wins the race--that should be our goal.

[stephen]

Listening to the interview, the big issue in my opinion isn't that she identified white voters as being a key to winning an election, it's that her syntax expressed an equation between "hard working Americans" and "white Americans" -- in other words, the definition of a hard working American is a white American, and by inference, anyone who is not a white American is not a hard working American. Unlike Obama, who is making an effort to appeal to voters of all stripes (whether successfully or not, you be the judge), Hillary has, since PA, decided that the best strategy for her is to focus exclusively on white voters. If that's not "playing the race card" (whatever that means), what is?

[Andrew Austin]

Making an observation is not playing the race card. Let's not be ridiculous here. Clinton clearly brings the bigger tent. Who are blacks going to vote for? McCain? Give me a break.

[cindy]

Robinia what an arrogant tone you have. This is a typical Obama supporter with no class. Tootles to you and your candidate because he cannot win in November without ALL the democrats. Most Clinton supporters are tired of all the cheap shots Obama supporters give and will never vote for an arrogant person. goodbye girl! All the money in the world cannot buy votes from the people.

[oo]

if Obama steal tne nomination , the demcrats deserve to lose GE

[Rain]

Tallahassee,

"Idiots"? How childish to resort to name calling.

and

Mona,

You don't have to define "Smurfs" for us.

Remember, guys...most of Obama's supporters are college educated. Most of Hillary's are not!

[Web Smith]

In other words, she's not trying to be divisive or turn this into a racial issue but uneducated whites vote for her and blacks vote for Obama. Geeze.

She's is just staying in the race at this point to drive more support McCain's way on behalf of the people who support him and her and pay her husbands exorbitant speaking fees.
Expect things to get really nasty over the next couple of weeks.

[DAPO OGUNDIMU]

It is time for Senator Hillary Clinton to throw in the towel. She has fought a strong convincing battle but people just kept telling her "No" for her old political ideas. Poeple need somebody with fresh ideas and Senator Obama has proved he will deliver. The earlier she steps aside the better for her and for the Democratic Party as a whole.

[Lisa Vives]

For those who think Hillary has sewn up the 'white vote', is this the same Hillary who was reviled after the Lewinsky business - because she didn't leave her husband, because she was involved with some funny business with her law firm and then some staffer commit suicide ... They couldn't find enough poop to throw at her! She could do nothing right! It was just to mention "the Clintons" and eyes would roll! By the way, Blacks are only some 13% of the U.S. population. Could Obama be winning all those states, delegates, superdelegates with just 13% of the country? Maybe a few white voters are in his corner as well.

[N.E. BodybutHillary]

Hillary is whatever she thinks you want her to be. She will say what she thinks you want to hear. Depending on where she is at and who she is interfacing with she will don any costume attempting to sway their support. Bill and Hillary invented "Governing by Polling". Her ideologies are bound to the wind. There not a single thing genuine about Mrs. Clinton. Is she a racist? perhaps, you would only find out from people who think they know her. Bill is, he let that cat out of the bag in SC. Does it matter? It will have no effect on most people because Hillary will not be president.

[alee21]

The race card has been played already, much earlier, by the Obamaites. They spread disinformation (vis a vis Clyburn) buoyed by the delusional such as Wright.

Hillary is stating the obvious - she has won the white vote and the blacks have gone to Obama 93%. So why say she is playing the race card? She is merely echoing what has been discussed ad nauseum in the media.

Obama doesn’t ever even mention the Asians (he did try to pander to the Hispanics who saw through him) – remember Michelle O and reseating an Asian at an Obama rally because they wanted Whites?

[alee21]

Rain (on your parade)
It's because of people like you that Obama will not win. You are arrogant and misinformed to make sweeping statements about Obama and Hillary supporters.

[Ellen Scheiner, M.D.]

One obvious element which has not been mentioned is that Sen. Clinton is female. The unresolved civil rights issue in America is not race, it is sexism. There are more women than African Americans. Women still earn less than men, bear the brunt of job plus family, and are then considered underachievers. My head hearts from banging into glass ceilings in my 46 year medical career. So, Hillary is bound to lose. She is a fighter and deserves to be President!

[tlsmith1963]

Hillary is only doing badly because she seems to be her own worst enemy. I really think she could've won the nomination if she hadn't decided that she wanted to run her campaign like George W. Bush ran his 2 campaigns. I've had enough of GWB's mean-spirited garbage, & I don't want my party to be like that, either. It's time for America to change. It's time for us to be better people.

[tlsmith1963]

Even though I am an Obama supporter I will not call Clinton supporters uneducated morons. Let's not do this, okay? The Republicans love to call Democrats elitist. We shouldn't fall into their trap.

[Julie, Burbank]

85% to 90% and more Black vote went to BILL CLINTON, AL GORE, JOHN KERRY -- even when they were running against blacks in prior presidential elections.

Guess we're only cool with black people when they're voting for WHITE MALES or else they're racist?!?

I'm so sick of this rude, false offensive stuff. Obama's just a better candidate - period.

Somehow I think if it were all Mexicans voting for Mexican-American candidate or all Jewish folks voting for Lieberman, no one would make such ugly comments about a group of people supporting a WORTHY candidate who happened to share an ethnic background or whatever.

Obama's as much White as Black so he had to win AAs over just like us. Blacks would've been Jesse Jackson, Alan Keyes, Carol Braun, Al Sharpton or one of the other black candidates a top contender long ago had they been racist.

Thank you Hillary for keeping this negative, sad pot stirred. Such bad energy. She's got to go.

[John]

Goodness! I think we all agree that Hillary will do or say anything to further her chances, but she has reached bottom and further attacks on Obama simply reveal her as even more disgusting than she has already shown.
Can it be that only white racist, blue-collar, uneducated voters support her? Peasants, I think they are called. I almost (not quite) hope McCain wins - they'll vote for him - just to see him "put it to them."

[john]

Inaru - Good for you! Very well put.

[SueinPA]

Hillary seems to be campaigning in a parallel universe. Bill has unfortunately forever sullied his legacy and can never be considered a statesman in the mold of Hubert Humphrey or even Barry Goldwater (who late in life rose above their particular political parties). If Hillary continues to insist over the next 4-8 weeks that she can still win, she will be regarded universally as delusional and rather pathetic -- and that is unfortunate for a woman who became the first serious and viable candidate for the presidency of the United States.

[Ann]

Shoot, and here I thought my husband and I worked hard, but I guess because he has a masters and I have a law degree, we really just sit by a pool, drinking daquiris all day and expecting some hard-working white woman with a high school diploma to raise our children.

[Larry]

If she didn't play the race card, then why did she use the pre-polling results to NC and Indiana vice the post exit returns that shown different information? And timing. Very nice "I'm the White Candidate" routine just before two of the most racially tolerant contests in WV and KT.

[NotSuprised]

The Clintons are out of control. The superdelegates should support Obama and make it clear that there is no path to the nomination. If these comments that are far worse than "bitter gate" are just glossed over and do not prompt the superdelegates to act, they are just cowards.

[helen]

The race card was put on the table by the "Clintons" unless,I missed it, when did "Obama" put the BLACK FOLKS as the sole reason for his fierce fight for the white house? How quickly racist dismissed the fact that
his mother was white, she was just written out of the ugly american picture. Further, I am apalled by Bill Clinton,
talking out of both sides of his wife-cheating mouth, he better watch out, a recent photo showed a young lady behind Hillary in a photo-op in a light blue dress, it might
be "Navy Blue" in the future. Maybe he owe Hillary the
White House , to those mentioning that out of respect, Hillary should be on the "Obama" ticket, are typical "Idiots",
As a Pennsylvania Mountain Woman, in my diverse neighborhood we were embrassed by this latest imported
racism into our beautiful town, and owe the "Clintons"
nothing, further, the folks in my town found the "Shot & Beer" as phony as the "Gas Holiday", what's next? Oh,
Hillary,"Dances with Snakes in West Va. Church after
a few slugs from the classic white Lightening Jug."
Cheers to Sen. Obama, we americans need to be real
and proud again. In closing, what's with this experience
candidate for president again..now you are really joking
with George Bush in office!!!
of the "UNITED STATES"

[Visionary]

I hope, Hillary will Run Independent if she is not the nominee. I heard from a lot of people, they will vote for her, If She do. American people with good judgement, needs a president who will look after the welfare of all Races. Who does not hold ill feelings towards a particular Race, Just because He has a Pervasive sense of Grievance and Animosity Against her Mothers Race ( Read Obamas book, DREAMS OF MY FATHER ) I think, He still have that Resentment towards White People. He will be lenient with his Race But opposite with the other Race. Because, He said, He has that Animosity Against his Mothers Race. I cannot Trust him to be the President of our Beloved Land. I heard him say, He is not Perpect, He admited it, So, When He does Something Wrong, The people cannot blame him for it, Because He was so Honest to Share it openly. Obama was already preparing the public for wrong Decision and Action, because He knows, He will End up Doing a lot of mistakes, due to LACK OF EXPERIENCE. If He became the President of our country, People will see the DEMISE OF AMERICA IN FRONT OF OUR EYES.

[Rajiv]

Racial sensitivity is so high among Democrats that no one will state the obvious - that if African Americans did not vote in a unanimous bloc, then Obama would have very victories. Run the numbers, a count of the non-black population would have Clinton ahead 60-40 in North Carolina. Even if 33% of blacks voted for her, she would have won the primary. This is a troubling trend given that African Americans make up 10% of the voting population and typically vote overwhelmingly Democratic.

No one would deny the right to vote as a bloc but the data is very clear.

Many of the working class whites are voting for experience, something Obama will have an issue with in the general election.

The real question is: if Obama is so strong, why hasn't he been able to close the deal?

[Joe]

Of course she plays the race card and denies it immediately - her name is Hillary Clinton. Just look at the consistent pattern: "what an honor to be sitting here with Obama", then "shame on you", then "was under sniper fire in Bosnia", then "I misspoke", helped pushed Nafta on record, then "was against it" and on and on and on. Don't we get it? When will the American people get the point?

[Eric Scott]

Race card or no, Hillary's comments are divisive as heck. And even if one accepts her contention that Obama cannot win over "hard-working Americans, white Americans" in the general election - which I don't - one has to wonder what sort of leader she would be if she's willing to divide America this way for her own benefit. America has had almost eight years of division and strife under GW Bush, all for the sake of promoting his agenda and stroking his ego. We don't need another four years of the same thing from the other side of the aisle. I'm a hard-working white male voting for Obama. Hillary doesn't need to leave the race - it ain't over 'til it's over - but she should see reason and work towards unifying her party. However, with comments like these she's made to USA Today, I doubt that will happen.

[collegegrad]

i guess to her we are back to the 3/5 compromise. What about the black vote that she isn't getting & the "smart" vote? If Obama said anything CLOSE to this, it'd be all over the six o'clock news. Amazing what she gets away with.

[JTK]

May I ask, why is being an elite wrong?

John McCain was elite solider!

Clinton and Obama are elite lawyers!

When you go to a doctor do you wish to have an elite physician? If you need a lawyer, do you want an elite attorney? Why ONLY in politics is being elite WRONG? Maybe people want to believe that any ol person can be president; meaning the average Joe or Julie, i.e., themselves! Please STOP!!!! The President is not someone to hang out with, the President is the main representative of the United States of America. The President should be elite! Otherwise all the criticizers of that word SHOULD from this point forward go to a non elite physician and attorney and breathe a sigh of relief that at least you don’t have the best practitioner of law or medicine.

[JTK]

OK let’s play the race card voting factor game!
The 1992 & 1996 Bill Clinton’s Presidential Demographics:
1992
Bill Clinton received the following percentage of votes:
Blacks = 83%
Whites = 39%
Asian = 31%
Latino/Spanish/Mexican/Puerto Rican = 61%

1996
Bill Clinton received the following percentage of votes:
Blacks = 84%
Whites = 43%
Asian = 72%
Latino/Spanish/Mexican/Puerto Rican = 43%
;
In 1992 African American & Latino/Spanish/Mexican/Puerto Rican voters were more white than whites because their support for the white Presidential candidate was higher than the white vote.

In 1996, Latino/Spanish/Mexican/Puerto Rican, Asians and African American voters where more white than the white voters because their support was more for Bill Clinton than the white voter.

I am highly confused by the illogical mathematics of convenient racism. Oh wait, illogical math helps defend Hillary’s wild statements earlier. The assumption that Obama only won black votes because he is black is lunacy at best. Historically speaking, black voters have OVERWHELMLY voted for the white candidate(s) even when they were running against a black candidate (PLEASE read a history book, it is in there!). Now the problem is that there is a viable black candidate so NOW it is racist for blacks to vote for him. Therefore, by this logic, blacks should only vote for a viable white candidate when it suits whites and not for a viable black candidate when it suits blacks because that will make people uncomfortable? Absurd!!!!

[Mike, NY]

NOBODY CAN AND SHOULD BECOME THE CANDIDATE FOR THE DEMOCRATS IF THIS PERSON HAS VOTED FOR THE WAR IN 2008. THE PERSON WHO HAS VOTED FOR IT HAS DISQUALIFIED HERSELF OR HIMSELF AUTOMATICALLY. IT WAS FROM THE BEGINNING ON WRONG FOR HILLARY TO BECOME A CANDIDATE. HILLARY HAS NO SENSE FOR THE HISTORY AND CAN’T TAKE RESPONSIBILITY FOR HER OWN ACTIONS. OTHER SENATORS IN THE SENATE HAS STRONGLY OPPOSED THE WAR AND VOTED AGAINST IT, LIKE SENATOR KENNEDY AND BIRD AND OTHERS. HILLARY WAS LOST AND MISGUIDED.
JUST GET OUT OF WAY HILLARY. STOP THIS …………

[Daretobe]

It is interesting to note that most of the comments depict Clinton as the White candidate and Obama as the Black candidate. Obama is half white. Why is it that this fact is being downplayed. The real racism here is the notion that any amount of black blood makes Obama a black man. The tragedy here is that too many people who consider themselves objective see the same things that the so-called "morons and idiots" see. A polarized electorate and voter block that will not see beyond their own prejudices. The Clintons are playing the race card pure and simple. Not because they are racists, but because they are shrewd enough to realize that Obama's White blood is diluted in the elixir of ignorance and racism by the majority White voting block. Blacks have, for decades, given their vote to the party that acknowledged and gave value to their concerns. All Democratic Nominees prior to this election have been White Males. Now that the possibility exists that for the first time in history a Black (I say this as a result of his Kenyan father) man stands on the brink of nomination, it saddens me to see the double standard that is being displayed by both the Clintons and the democratic voting block. To be sure, the Republicans will definitely try to exploit racial division within the electorate. It is time for the double standard to end. Look at Obama as a man who has played by the rules and legitimately stands on the pinnacle as a result of his appeal and the vote of fair-minded people. To try to deny him what he has earned is patently unfair. He is as much White as he is Black. Take solace in that fact. We are still, in essence, nominating a White Male.

[Amanda]

Uhm everyone seems to be forgetting that the Clinton started off WITH the SUPPORT of African Americans!! Obama only got HUGE portions of the Black vote after BILL CLINTON called his campaign a fairy tale. Before that, they were doing about the same! BLACK AMERICANS won't vote for someone JUST because he's black. ESPECIALLY not Black Americans who take the time to vote in primaries.

And if they did, don't you think Jesse Jackson would've done better!?

Hillary was the most unatt